MP has a Brush with Youth Charity

13 Oct 2008

Diane joined local youngsters and volunteers from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) as they give the Rathbone Centre on Spurstowe Terrace a lick of paint. And amongst those she met a Hackney lad who has turned his back on crime and is now bristling with confidence.

Edhilson Bernado (who turned 19 on the day of Diane's visit) found himself mixing with the wrong crowd after he left college. Facing the courts proved a daunting but life-changing experience for Edhilson – who decided to mend his ways by gaining an education with Rathbone. 

"I told the tutors at Rathbone about my problems and straightaway they offered to help me" said Edhilson. "They got me a temporary job in retail and I started picking up qualifications at the Centre."

The staff also noticed that Edhilson had a natural rapport with the other trainees on his Entry to Employment (e2e) course - and are encouraging him to become a mentor to other troubled teenagers.

"Edhilson speaks the young peoples' language" said Wayne Jordan, e2e Training Adviser at Rathbone Hackney, "and there really is no one better to relate to, than someone who has been through the same problems as you."

Established in 1999, Rathbone provides training and support for some of Hackney, Tower Hamlets and Tottenham's most disadvantaged young people. On the Entry to Employment programme, 16-18-year-olds get on-the-job experience plus training in skills such as health and safety and first aid. Rathbone also supports Apprentices – helping them to build up their portfolio and pass their level 1 qualifications in literacy and numeracy.  

Aside from making the Centre feel like a more welcoming place to learn in, Rathbone Director for London, Lee Willows, hopes that Friday's 'paint job' sends out a powerful signal to the community that Rathbone is here to help.

"Our message to young people is that there is an alternative to a life of boredom, joblessness and despair" said Lee. "All it takes is for you to contact us and together we can plan a future full of achievement, success and fulfilment. The door to Rathbone is always open – just mind the wet paint!"

After the visit Diane said: "I was very pleased to be invited along to help with Rathbone's paint job. The Centre is providing fantastic opportunities for our young people, and is particualrly useful for those young people who have missed out on school or formal education for whatever reason. The services the Rathbone Centre offers are vital in reaching out to these young people and ensuring that no-one gets left out. I wholehearedly support their work."

To learn more about Rathbone, visit www.rathboneuk.org email hackney@rathboneuk.org or telephone 020 7923 7255.



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